WHEN Harry Harris showed up to a media press conference with Prime Minister Scott Morrison holding a pair of thongs in his hand, there were a few concerns the egg throwing earlier in the week was about to be next-levelled. There were nervous sideway glances by the PM's entourage and a platoon of police officers on standby should things turn sour. He quietly stood on the fringe of the media throng with the fresh pair of black thongs in his hand - the price tag was still attached. The Port News quietly stepped over to ask what he was doing, and queried whether or not we should be prepared for a double plugger fracas to erupt on the PM's arrival. Harry of Port Macquarie, a self confessed frustrated Bulldogs fan, offered up a sly chuckle and the best story of the PM's four-hour swoop on the Hastings. Harry collects thongs. He has been collecting them for more than 20 years. And it's not just an ordinary collection of thongs. They all come with the hand-signed monikers of celebrities, former Prime Ministers, sporting greats and music icons. More than 200 sets of them. Harry has a few stories and he was keen to add another page to his thong tales with ScoMo's signature. "I've been collecting thongs for 20 years. I grew up in Kendall. That's where everyone wears double pluggers I guess," Harry explained. "It all started at a John Williamson concert at Wauchope. I don't know why I did it because I don't actually like him that much, but I didn't have a piece of paper so I ripped the thing (his thong) off my foot and he signed it. "Since then I've managed to get thongs signed by John Travolta, Russell Crowe, former prime minister Bob Hawke and Hazel Hawke, Steve Waugh, Glen McGrath and Pat Rafter to name a few. "The only two people who wouldn't sign them was John Howard and the actress Judy Davis. I spotted Judy at a truck rest stop on the side of the road. She denied it was her." His favourite thong signing story belongs to Hazel Hawke who was visiting his hometown Kendall. "I was out cutting firewood and heard Hazel Hawke was down at the Country Club. I went down there and my thongs were pretty dirty. She signed them - she thought it was funny. There were some hoity toity people there who didn't though. "I hope this today is a good marketing thing for him (the Prime Minister). Makes him more Australian I guess." Harry didn't have to wait long. The PM arrived, Harry had his moment with 'the big fella' amid the media circus and walked away with another set of signed pluggers to add to his collection. He was chuffed. Port News

WHEN Harry Harris showed up to a media press conference with Prime Minister Scott Morrison holding a pair of thongs in his hand, there were a few concerns the egg throwing earlier in the week was about to be next-levelled.

There were nervous sideway glances by the PM's entourage and a platoon of police officers on standby should things turn sour.

He quietly stood on the fringe of the media throng with the fresh pair of black thongs in his hand - the price tag was still attached.

The Port News quietly stepped over to ask what he was doing, and queried whether or not we should be prepared for a double plugger fracas to erupt on the PM's arrival.

Harry Harris and his quest to get PM Scott Morrison to sign his thongs.

Harry of Port Macquarie, a self confessed frustrated Bulldogs fan, offered up a sly chuckle and the best story of the PM's four-hour swoop on the Hastings.

Harry collects thongs. He has been collecting them for more than 20 years.

And it's not just an ordinary collection of thongs. They all come with the hand-signed monikers of celebrities, former Prime Ministers, sporting greats and music icons. More than 200 sets of them.

Harry has a few stories and he was keen to add another page to his thong tales with ScoMo's signature.

"I've been collecting thongs for 20 years. I grew up in Kendall. That's where everyone wears double pluggers I guess," Harry explained.

I was out cutting firewood and heard Hazel Hawke was down at the Country Club. I went down there and my thongs were pretty dirty. She signed them - she thought it was funny. There were some hoity toity people there who didn't though.

Harry Harris

"It all started at a John Williamson concert at Wauchope. I don't know why I did it because I don't actually like him that much, but I didn't have a piece of paper so I ripped the thing (his thong) off my foot and he signed it.

"Since then I've managed to get thongs signed by John Travolta, Russell Crowe, former prime minister Bob Hawke and Hazel Hawke, Steve Waugh, Glen McGrath and Pat Rafter to name a few.

"The only two people who wouldn't sign them was John Howard and the actress Judy Davis. I spotted Judy at a truck rest stop on the side of the road. She denied it was her."

His favourite thong signing story belongs to Hazel Hawke who was visiting his hometown Kendall.

"I was out cutting firewood and heard Hazel Hawke was down at the Country Club. I went down there and my thongs were pretty dirty. She signed them - she thought it was funny. There were some hoity toity people there who didn't though.

"I hope this today is a good marketing thing for him (the Prime Minister). Makes him more Australian I guess."

Harry didn't have to wait long. The PM arrived, Harry had his moment with 'the big fella' amid the media circus and walked away with another set of signed pluggers to add to his collection.